That said, I finally did find whom I was referring to yesterday ~ Melisssa Bulanhagui ~ she landed a 3A/2T combo. in the SP at this summer's 2009 Liberty Championships (yes, it was underrotated, but just as much as Kimmie Meissner's ratified one; let's be honest, only Tonya Harding & Midori Ito could land fully rotated ones, and a couple of times Mao Asada has as well). So I say kudos to Melissa for trying! Here it is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uVNW8hA-R8

I think she has to do Regionals & all that to qualify for Nationals this year. I'm hoping she makes it. I don't expect her to win Nationals & make the Olympic team, et al, but at least it gives me something to look forward to. Instead of the same ole same ole every year, there's an American skater that will try a 3A/2T in the SP.

Bulanhagui finished first in the SP at South Atlantic Regionals, but she scored only 40.96 and her jumps were 3Z<, 3T+2T and 2A. In the Regionals FS, she was 2nd with 78.28 for a total of 119.24. While that was enough to give Melissa the Regionals win, it wouldn't be nearly enough to win even a JGP event.

In the FS, Melissa landed 3 clean triples: 3Z in combination, 3T in a 3T/2T combo, and a 3T. She seems to have neither flip nor loop. Sorry, but with those jumps she is unlikely to make it to Nationals.

As for Sasha, somehow I doubt she will make it to Skate America. I agree with Jenny Kirk that Sasha may have tendonitis (she reportedly had it all last winter), but the main reason why she withdrew from TEB was that she was completely unprepared. I don't think an additional 4 weeks will make her much more competition-ready than she is now. Nationals is also up in the air.

The plain fact is if Sasha was really serious about competing in Vancouver, she would have started full-time training last season. It just isn't feasible for a skater as injury-prone as Sasha is to be away from competitive skating for more than 3 years, and then try to get back in shape in just 6 months. And she is now 25 years old and her body has changed somewhat since the last time she competed: that makes the process that much harder.

If "unpreparedness" is the real reason behind this no show in Paris, then hearing the news of other skaters pulling off 3-3 combos and 3A-3(!! is Mao planning to do this in Paris?) this early in the season would only worsen her "injury."

I don't know what to expect.
I was never her fan because MK was my one and only favorite, but I have to admit that I was excited at the news of her comeback.

I wanted to see an old, familiar face again even if it was her, not Michelle.
Now will it happen at all?
I hope it does.

Thanks so much, Sasha'sSpins, for your reply. As I said earlier, you long-time Sasha Cohen Fans have my utmost sympathies. And my respect for hanging in there, believing in her, continuing to support her no matter what, that to me is the definition of a true fan (& friend as well). One that is there through thick & thin, no matter the outcome. Hey, you're talking to a die-hard Oksana Baiul Fan, believe me, I know what it's like.

chuckm, thanks for the update about Melissa. No matter, I am a fan of hers, whether or not she makes Nationals. By the way, Congratulations, Melissa, on winning Regionals!!!!!!! That's no small accomplishment, as well you know.

Back to Sasha, my apologies for spazzing out the other day(s), there is no excuse for such behavior. I feel ashamed. Please forgive me. From now on I will conduct myself like the adult I am, and also be the kind of fan that is there through both the thick & thin, no matter what!

GOOD LUCK, SASHA, I'VE GOT YOUR BACK!!!!!!

Last edited by Nadine; 10-13-2009 at 01:30 PM.
Reason: EDITED TO ADD: and my sincerest apologies to the USFSA, they're doing their best, and I should as well.

Now if you want to talk about patient, long suffering fans .............
have you ever heard of a group of guys called the Red Sox?

oh please. You won the world series what twice in the past 5 years? Who else has done that? You made the post season this year (and every year for the past few years). That would be like saying that sasha won worlds twice and made the team every time.

What is his problem with Jenny Kirk??
The lame dig at her was totally unnecessary and irrelevant to this story.

As for the interview itself, after having read it, I'm a bit more puzzled that she is "able to resume training full-on right now" when her statement indicated that she had been advised to limit her training for a few weeks, only a few days ago.

I hope everything goes well, and if we see her at SA, good. If not, then oh well.

I haven't read Phil Hersh for very long. Was he negative toward Jenny when she was competing? I really don't understand the dig at her. I am glad that he talked with Sasha and we know have heard her explanation for the pull out. SA is not that far away. It will be interesting to see if she is ready.

I feel bad because when I initially read about Sasha's withdrawal I honestly took her at her word, and though disappointed I wasn't mad at that point, in fact I wanted her to skip the entire GP to rest her injury properly & then come back better than ever for Nationals; she already earned her bye to Nationals, so no problem there. No, I didn't get mad until I read Jennifer's article, which to be honest surprised me by its touch of negativity here & there (I'm not just talking about Sasha, obviously they're not friends, I sensed this waaay back; I like both of them, so I'm staying out of it, no, there were the comments about Brian Boitano & the Goo Goo Dolls, which left me feeling uneasy). That said, Mr. Hersch was very unprofessional with his outright hateful remarks about Jennifer. He should apologize. He's older, he should know better. It's up to him to set a good example.

As for me, from now on I'm just going with my gut instinct, sticking with it, and try not to be influenced negatively by what others say. This is my philosophy in life, and this time I'm sticking with it!

Kunstrijdster, lol, yes, being an Oksana Baiul Fan has its ups & downs, especially when she was competing as a pro, but I've stuck with her & will continue to do so until the bitter end. I admire fans like Elizabeth Taylor, she's the only one that stuck by Michael Jackson until the bitter end, never listening to all the negativity about him, always being positive, *never* had a bad word to say about Michael during their entire friendship. She literally stuck by him through the thick & thin, just as she did with Montgomery Clift, Rock Hudson, Kathy Ireland, et al. I would choose one fan like her versus all the fair weather fans put together, and that's the truth. She's like gold, or a rock, steadfast & true...

Phil Hersh has ALWAYS been a big Sasha promoter. So he is no more objective than Jenny Kirk.

Sasha's 'explanations' in the interview are somewhat contradictory to statements she made when withdrawing from TEB. Frankly, I take anything she says with a grain of salt. SASHA knows why she withdrew, but IMO, she isn't telling the entire truth.

BTW, it's being rumored on FSU that Emily Hughes won't be competing at Regionals next week. That could signal the end of her competitive career.